Kimura's Story
by scarlettep13
Summary: Life after Avatar Korra became more developed. Technology spread from Republic City. Another avatar came into the cycle along with an age of peace. After his passing, the Order of the White Lotus failed in finding the next avatar and feared that this was an omen predicting a coming war... NOTE: no characters from Legend of Korra appear in this story, the theme is similar to the 80s
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

It was weird how fate brought friends to a person like me because for a long time, I didn't have friends. I was born into a fire nation family who were the descendants of a great general who fought in the hundred year war...as you can see, this poses as a problem. My father held a grudge against the other elemental benders and he was determined to make his daughter the same way. Like a normal child, I was sent to the closest fire nation school. Although there were other elemental benders there, my father made sure that I did not associated with any of them.

Unfortunately, all the non-benders and firebenders were friends with the other elemental benders. I was doomed to be an outcast. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me start from the beginning.

At the age of two, my parents discovered that I was a firebender; I sneezed and accidentally sent the living room on fire. My father was pleased, surprisingly, and decided to capitalize on his "prodigy". He hired a firebending master to train me. Unfortunately I was too young to be disciplined in the ways of firebending and the master was let go. Instead, I was allowed to roam in the family garden. This became my place of peace and I became a dreamer. As a child, I played in the garden and tried my best to make my dreams a reality. I imagined traveling around the world, meeting different benders, finding a dragon, eating water tribe dishes, riding on a sky bison...but school quickly pulled all these dreams down the drain, courtesy of my father.

Like the other children, I began attending school at the age of 6. I did well in my first year, I understood the lessons. I liked learning so much that I didn't mind not having friends. During my second year, my dreams slowly returned and I began to look around me. I notice that I was all alone. I attempted to make a friend, I approached the first girl I saw during recess. It went well until I discovered that she was a waterbender. I later made the mistake of telling my father exactly who my new friend was. Enraged, he ordered me to break off the friendship immediately. Foolishly, I obeyed. I broke off the friendship with no real reason and it was then that everything went downhill.

The waterbender girl told every girl she knew that I was a horrible friend. The girls told the boys and girls they knew and soon the whole school knew. I was officially the "loner" at the school and I hated it.  
But hope shined through the darkness like a flame in the night. My dreams came rushing back during my 3rd year of school. And all I did was dream. I continued to do my school work but I couldn't help but draw dragons within the margins of the papers. My teachers complained to my father about this. He scolded me for lack of discipline. My mother, however, managed to convince him to buy me a sketch book.

He had one rule for me: "Kimura, you may sketch in this book as long as all your school work has been completed." I complied to his rule and my teachers never complained about my dragon drawings again. My third year of school was finished in peace.

The fourth year of school was when the administration divided the students for one period, benders and non-benders were divided and the benders were further divided based on elements. Being a firebender, I was assigned to a firebending class. The first day wasn't so bad. We met the master in charge and were asked to demonstrate how much firebending we could perform. According to the teacher, I did well but lacked the proper discipline of a firebender. Of course the whole world had been telling me this ever since I was little so it didn't bother me any.

At home, my father asked: "How was your firebending class, Kimura?"

"It was ok. I kinda like it." was my reply.

"That's good. I am glad you like it." he said and that was the end of our dinner conversation.

A week went by without any problems. I continued to do well in my studies and firebending and I passed the leftover time I had sketching dragons into my family's garden (not literally of course). But a problem arose in the second week. We were now going to practice the stances of firebending. As I imitated the master's movements, I found that I did not enjoy those rigid and aggressive poses. And I thought: "if this is firebending, it's no wonder we lost the hundred year war." Of course I was only mocking father's complaints about losing the war and I wasn't indicating that I wish we had. Several weeks passed and I found myself slacking in my firebending warm ups. One day while I was in the garden sketching, my father found me and questioned me on his rule:

"Kimura? Have you completed all of your school work?"

"Yes, sir."

"Have you been practicing your firebending? It doesn't come naturally, you know."

"Yes, sir. I have been practicing." I lied. As he walked away, I pondered his last statement and I asked myself: "If firebending doesn't come naturally, how come I can firebend?"  
But the word that touched my heart the most was "naturally". What was preventing firebending from being as natural as creation? Why couldn't it be performed naturally? At that moment, I was determined to prove to the world that firebending was as natural as living. There was only one problem..."How?"

At school I pondered this thought greatly up until my 6th year of school. Everyone of my peers noticed this. They stared at me, curious at what I was doing. Some asked if I was okay. I always replied with a nod and waved a hand to make them go away. They did not like this very much and began to tease me about thinking too much. At first I ignored them but during my 7th year they began to perform physical attacks on me. At first, they would just throw objects at me or push me while I walked through the halls. But again, I prevailed by ignoring them.

One day, in the middle of my 7th year, I was running late to my firebending class and I passed by a non-bending class who was learning music. I paused and silently enjoyed the sweet symphony for a small moment. I danced a little and spun around once, absentmindedly producing a swirl of flames around me. I gasped and quickly extinguished the flames. Awakening. I had found my way of firebending naturally; through dancing.

Later that day, when I got home, I practiced my new technique in my room. As I played music on our family's old record player, I began to dance in my room, letting the music go through me. Flames instantly flowed from my fingertips and I managed to tame not only the fiery tongues, but also my restless spirit.

In my 8th year, I faced a new problem. We lived on an isolated plot of land closer to the countryside than the actual city. My family had always been wealthy so I never suffered from want. However, I was tortured by an exaggerated wardrobe. My mother obsessed over dresses and coats and heels and hair. Everyday I went to school primped and pretty enough to go to the theatre. I had the look of a countryside rich girl. This made the rumors worse. Everyone said I was too vain and arrogant to be friends with anyone. To make matters worse, my firebending master was always at my throat.

"You must be disciplined. That is the only way you tame your fire." he said to me one day during training.

All I did was roll my eyes; I had already learned how to tame the fire.

That year I was promoted to Secondary school and I began my ninth year with high hopes and even bigger dreams. During the summer, I had traveled to small towns with my family. While my father was busy with "duties" and my mother shopped, I wandered the towns and watched other benders at work. I learned from their different bending styles. I explored libraries, and found ancient bending scrolls. I copied down the stances and tried them at home.

Now that I was going to start in a new school, I planned to make my mark. My mother finally let me work out my own wardrobe. I was pleased, and hoped that jeans, skirts, leggings, and shirts would somehow show everyone that I was a normal girl. Unfortunately, they realized it only too quickly.

My second day of school was ended by a fight in firebending class. Another girl saw me training alone and decided to "show me who's the boss". I won, but paid the price by being expelled.  
My wealthy father stepped in, giving the school a "generous donation". I was readmitted but lost all hope of ever getting friends. I was relabeled as the rich girl. As her way of keeping her little girl safe, my mother took over my wardrobe once again.

All throughout my last three year years, I found that I left plenty of marks...all in the wrong places. I did academically well. However, I was a social disaster. Every week someone new was after me. The phrase, "there will always be someone better than you" did not apply. No one cared about how good I was, all they wanted to do was get the rich girl out for good.  
I accepted their demands for a fight. After school, it was the first thing on my agenda. As soon as all the fighting was over, I went straight to a healer and was cured of all, if any, bruises. When I got home, I was freed from interrogation by saying that I was participating in additional firebending training. Naturally, this pleased my father.

Occasionally he would demand that I should him "a new move". Because of my summers of studying bending styles and positions, I was able to satisfy him by showing him one I had already known. Neither of my parents knew of the fights. Nor did they know of my poor discipline in firebending class. Until my final to graduate the class came along.

After four years of secondary school, all students have to take an exit final. I did well on my academic tests. However, my firebending final was a challenge. The new master stressed discipline as much as the previous.  
He said: "Each student will duel each other and I shall determine whether you have the skills to receive your diploma."

The finals began. Students fought and fought well. It was not about winning, it was about skill and the level of mastery. I figured that I would pass easily.

My turn came and I put everything I had into my flames, my heart and soul poured into them. I fought my opponent, avoiding most of his attacks and hitting him where it hurt most. One may have thought that it was more of a show; I danced about on the mat, using multiple-colored flames.

Unfortunately, I made a horrible mistake.

As the master gave the pass or fail to the students who tested that day, he turned to me. His stare killed me. His words buried me.

"You have no right to be a firebender. You have no discipline, no order. You are a disgrace! You make a show out of something that has built its reputation for centuries! You shall not receive your diploma!"

My world fell apart at that very moment. My hopes of ever making my father proud were shattered. My dreams of convincing my parents that I was an able young woman were sucked down the drain. Even worse was the ridicule I received from my peers. They never let me rest from being called a "disgrace". They talked behind my back. Someone even said, "The Great Fire Lord Zuko would have been ashamed of her."

I pondered the historical leader. Would he really be ashamed of me? After all, he too was a disgrace to his country. His reason was far nobler than mine however; he joined avatar Aang. As for me, I was disgrace for not being disciplined and not "taking firebending seriously".

I could not bring myself up to tell my parents what had happened. For the rest of the school day, I planned how I was going to run away. I am Kimura and this is my story.


	2. Chapter 2: The First Step

**Chapter 1: The First Step**

I stepped off the school grounds, thankful that my shame appeased my peers; no one picked a fight today. I brushed passed the glowering faces and disgusted looks, walking toward the old road that lead me to my home. The distance was enough to take me two hours to get home. However, today, I had to get there earlier.

I picked up the pace, at least as much as my gown would allow, and jogged along the path. The sun beamed down on my jet black hair, making it hotter than normal but I kept going. I made it just over an hour, and slipped among brush for the last bit of the path. I crept around the side wall surrounding my house and found the spot where I knew the alarm was broken. I removed my outer clothing, revealing my dark exercise clothes. I hid my clothes and bag under bushes and leapt up. After catching the wall with my hands, I pulled myself up and over it.

I daintily landed behind the maze hedge and kept low, listening for sounds. The garden was silent except for a few bird chirping nearby. I dashed to the side of the house and climbed up the lattice. I was careful not to look down; I'm afraid of heights.

I slid my window open and slipped inside, placing my feet lightly on the carpet. I was greeted with a quiet squawk from my messenger hawk. Because telephones had been invented in the century previous, the messenger hawks were more like historical animals for show.

I put a finger to my lips, "Sshh, quiet, Talon" I whispered to him. The red hawk gave me a curious eye and shifted on his post with uneasiness.

I crept over to my door, which was shut tight. Putting my ear to it, I listened for any noises out in hall. All was silent. Satisfied, I grabbed a jacket off my coat hanger. Then, after walking to my cabinet, rummaged through it in search of my piggy bank. I dumped out whatever change was inside; a whole $20 worth. I shoved the money in my pocket. Then, I walked to my desk and grabbed the compass I had on display; a family heirloom. I shoved it in my empty pocket. I was halfway through the window when I realized that I was missing something. Talon gazed at me with a look of disapproval.

"What?" I asked him brazenly.

He cawed quietly and pointed a red wing at the door. A sigh escaped my lips. I crept back into my room and sulked over to the door. No sounds came from outside it so I opened it and peeked out. The hall and stairwell were empty.

Carefully, I stepped out into the hallway, shutting my bedroom door behind me. In the middle of the hallway, was a string that could be pulled to bring down a folding ladder leading to the attic of our house. I pulled that string down along with the ladder. I quietly climbed up it's rungs and stepped into the attic. I pulled the ladder up and shut the door that the string was attached to. In this way, no one would suspect that I was up in the attic.

I avoided turning on the lamp in the attic, fearing that someone would notice the light. Instead, I produced a small golden flame in my palm, giving me enough light to see but dim enough that it wouldn't reflect onto the window.

My steps were light and nimble as I walked along the attic floor. I rummaged through a few boxes, looking for my old clothes. I soon found them, relieved that mother hadn't thrown them away.

As I picked out a few of them, I found a red mask hidden at the bottom of the box. Curious, I pulled it out. It was old but not ancient; the paint was still sticking to it. The ferocious eyes and terrible fangs reminded me of a dragon. I wrapped the mask in the clothes I had. I scanned the room.

_I thought there was a map up here..._ During the summers we traveled, my father had bought several maps to brag to his firebender friends about all the places we visited. Eventually, his friends lost interest and so did my father. My mother tucked them safety into the attic. I guess she wanted to hold onto those memories.

I searched the room and soon discovered the maps in a pile among books. I found two, one of the geographic layout of the world, the other of the cities and roads. I folded them neatly and tucked them under my arm. I quietly left the attic.

Once I was back in my room, I walked to the window, Talon stopped me again.

"What?!" I hissed.

He pointed to the door again. I sighed deeply then sat down at my desk. I pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen and wrote the following:

_To my parents:_  
_ I have failed. I am a disgrace. Soon you will find out what I mean. I am leaving, I will not burden my family with my mistakes. Do not worry, I can take care of myself. Please do not come looking for me, I need to find where I belong, since I do not belong here._  
_Farewell, your daughter,_  
_ Kimura Talon_

I rolled it up like a scroll and Talon came and rested on my shoulder. I placed the note in his talons.

"Give it to them when I'm gone." I instructed him. He looked at me with sad eyes, I sighed. "Ok ok, you can come with me. But you'll have to deliver the letter since you made me write it."

Talon nodded his head and squawked quietly. "Good. Let's go. We've already wasted a lot of time."

I pocketed the note and gathered my belongings. Then I peeked out the window. I gulped. This was going to be a challenge. I could sneak out the backdoor of the house instead but I would probably run into a maid.

Talon pulled lightly on my hair. "I know, I know. Gimme a sec." I whispered, slipping one leg out the window. I gripped the windowsill tightly with one hand and hooked my foot into the lattice. Then I brought the other foot down. I climbed down and was halfway to the ground when-_Gasp!_ I slipped and fell.

Fortunately, I was too scared to scream, and I landed in a bush. "Ugh..." Talon flew above me and gurgled with amusement. "Oh shut up..." I rolled off the bush and onto my feet. The garden was still quiet; surprisingly, no one heard me fall. I collected the clothes, maps, and mask, which had gone flying out of my arm.

Then I heard my father's voice come from inside the house: "Saki!"

I gasped and nearly jumped out of my skin. I collapsed on my hands and knees and leaned against the outside wall under the window. Talon was still hovering above me, I cringed and yanked him down, clamping his beak shut.

"Saki!" my father called my mother. I could hear him enter the living room. I held my breathe. Talon froze.

"Ryuu, please do not yell." I heard my mother say in the living room.

"Where is Kimura?" my entire body grew tense, my heart pounded in my ears. Talons eyes flashed about nervously.

"Dear, you know she does not come home for another half hour."

I almost gasped, _another half hour?!_ _I have to be gone before then!_

"I got a call from her firebending master." I gulped.

"Oh! How did she do on her final?"

"She failed." my father said bluntly. _Geez, dad, you sure know how to tell people bad news._

"Wha-what?" my mother sounded shocked. "But she has talent and skill! I-I do not understand!"

"He said she lacks discipline." my father had no emotion in his voice.

"Does this mean...?" I felt my heart break as I heard my mother's voice crack.

"She is not graduating." my father answered plainly. His insensitively angered me but it was suppressed when I heard my mother break out in tears. I bit my lip. I wanted to comfort her but I could not stay.

I let Talon go and crawled over to the maze hedge. Quietly, I slipped behind it and Talon flew above me, keeping an eye out for incoming people. I dashed to the wall, carrying my clothes under my arm. I reached it and tripped the alarm wire that surrounded the bottom of the wall. I gasped. Behind me, at the house, I heard the alarm go off. _Crap!_

For a moment I froze and did not know what to do. I could hear my parents and the guards running this way. Then I remembered-_the mask!_

I yanked it out of the clothes and put it on. Talon pecked at my head. I tucked the clothes and maps in the folds of my exercise clothes and leapt up onto the wall. I could hear my parents coming closer.

"Hey!" the guards called.

"Stop him!" my father yelled.

I crouched on the wall and looked back. My father saw the mask and stopped. A look of bewilderment passed over his face for a moment before he yelled: "Thief!"

I leapt over the wall, scrambled for my bag in the bushes and shoved the clothes inside. Talon was above me, flapping his wings in a frenzy of panic. I bolted out of the brush and took off down the road. After running some distance, I dove behind some trees and waited there. After a few minutes, I heard the hired guards clamor by. Talon came down and rested on my head. They were gone, for now.

I breathed a sigh of relief and slipped off the mask. Talon landed on my shoulder, gurgling with dissatisfaction. I ignored him and gazed up at the sky. It was starting to get dark. I had to leave before my parents realized I was gone. But I didn't want to run into the guards on their way back. I guess I'll stay in the trees and follow the road.

After making a decision, I put the mask away and changed out of my exercise clothes. I put on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and jacket. Then, I shouldered my pack and started off.

I followed the road back into town, staying hidden as best as I could. Halfway through, a police car zoomed down the road to my house. I kept going and reached town, now blanketed in gray twilight. I walked down the main streets to the edge of town. Here, old blended with new. A paved road wound its way through dense trees and rich green foliage.

I looked back at my town of Miwu Yasu. Part of me didn't want to leave. This town, outside of the places I had visited, was all I knew. I knew nothing about the outside world. I didn't know how to hunt. I didn't know good plants from bad. I was only a girl from a small town with no sense of direction.

But the other part of me knew that I did not belong in this town. And that was the reason for running away. To find a place where I can belong. I also needed to prove to everyone that I was a true firebender. Most of all, I needed to prove to myself that I had a purpose, a reason for being different, for not fitting in.

I turned my back to the town. Then I took the first step of my quest. I didn't stop, and I didn't look back.


	3. Chapter 3: A Matter of Life and Death

**Chapter 2: A Matter of Life and Death**

Darkness quickly came and I found myself wandering near the road under the light of the moon. Talon rested on my shoulder, flicking his head about, hearing the sounds around us. According to the map, the road headed northward and would turn west along the border of the Foggy swamp and Si Mong desert. Even with the scale on the map, I had no idea how far I would have to walk until I came to Omashu, which was where the road ended.

My stomach growled. _Crap..._ Talon gurgled a laugh.

"Oh, you think that's funny? How about you go find me something to eat?" I told him. He gave me a disdainful eye then flew away.

I stopped walking and gazed at the road. No cars went by. It had been this way the whole time I followed it. It was strange how it curved through the environment like a snake. It was silent and almost lifeless, making only the softest of sound as it crept across the wilderness.

I heard a rustle behind me and felt something brush my hair. I leapt forward and spun around. Talon was flying there, carrying a mouse. I sighed with relief and gazed at the rodent.

"Seriously? That's the best you can do?" I wrinkled my nose.

Talon cawed at me with an annoyed tone.

"Ok, ok. I just expected something with..." I took ahold of the mouse's tail and held it up, "A little more meat on it..."

Talon shook his head and flew off.

Five minutes later, I found myself struggling to cook the little thing. I growled with frustration when I realized I should skin it first. Talon ate his whole in front of me.  
"Eww...for a nice bird you sure have no class."

He let out a gurgle of amusement and waddled over to me. He poked at my mouse.

"Hey! You already had one!"

He cawed.

"I'm working on skinning it. Go away."

Ten minutes later, I had managed to yank off some of the skin. Frustrated, I ended up throwing flames at it. Curious, I tore at the little bit of meat I could see by the light of the moon. It looked cooked. I yanked off some and tried it. Talon watched intensely.  
"...it isn't that bad..." I murmured. Talon cawed. "Sorry, I guess I'm just spoiled."

We spent the rest of the night on the ground. I had trouble sleeping, even though I was on a pile of leaves, there was no comfort. I was cold too. I put my exercise clothes over to keep in the warmth but to no avail. I found myself curling up in a ball between two trees while Talon kept watch.

I fell asleep for a few hours but woke up to the freezing early morning. My teeth chattered and I could no longer sleep. Instead, I pulled out the geographic map and compass. I knew I was headed in the right direction by way of the road but I didn't know where I was geographically. I sighed and looked at Talon.

He had ruffled his feathers up to create friction and heat. He looked all fluffy. I laughed. The hawk glared at me as I stripped him of the small amount of dignity he had.

Just then, an icy cold gust blew past us. I gasped and covered up till it was gone. Unfortunately, it had taken a great deal of my heat with it. With chattering teeth, I curled up and gathered all the heat I could to my mouth. I inhaled slowly then exhaled heavily, breathing out a burst of red and orange flames. I reproduced the heat I had lost. Quickly, I put the map and compass away and bundled up.

I turned to Talon. He was shivering. I scooped him up and tucked him under the folds of my exercise clothes. Then I breathed heat onto him. He gurgled with satisfaction. We stayed huddled together until dawn.

We started up again, following the road steadily. A few cars went by but not consecutively. Although the road was manmade, it had this natural feel to it and seemed to go with the flow of the environment.

Soon, the sun was beaming through the trees. At first, I was thankful for the shade until the humidity in the atmosphere increased. I ended up taking off my layered clothes and wearing only the jeans and my under tank top. It wasn't before long that I became hungry. We stopped for a break and Talon went in search of food. Meanwhile, I was starting to get thirsty.

I pulled out the geographic map and compass. The only water I would come across would be from the ocean. Then, there was the swamp. I wouldn't be able to drink the water from either. I thought about boiling the water but I didn't have a pan or something like one to put the water in.

I had a serious problem on my hands. I had no water to drink and I was already finishing my first day of not having any. _I only have two days to live before I die of dehydration._

That statement hit home. I thought of the options before me: head home and accept defeat and dishonor, or continue on my quest and, most likely, die.

I was a very logical person. I liked to take facts and analyze them before I accepted them. I was also very rational. I didn't like to ride on wishful thinking and false hopes. I was fond of concrete facts that were backed by authority and evidence.

But this time, I went against my head. I knew I couldn't turn back, not after all the effort I put into my quest. _I won't give up! I'm sticking to this!_ I told myself.

At that moment, I decided that I would either complete my quest, or die trying. I accepted the likelihood of dieing alone and forgotten and continued on my quest.

Talon came back with two mice in each claw. He gave me two and landed on a log to eat his. I charred mine with red flames and peeled off the fur and skin. I cooked the meat as I ate it, surprised that this one had more meat than bone. I picked out the bones and guts, trying not to gross out from seeing the latter. I finished the first mouse rather quickly, and started on the next.

"Think you can catch something bigger?" I asked the hawk as I peeled the burned fur off my mouse. He gave me an annoyed look.

"Ok ok, thanks for the food."

Talon nodded and played with his second mouse. He kicked it then caught it in his beak before slamming it on the ground. Then he stepped on it.

"Talon! It's dead already!" I told him. He ignored me and picked at it.  
I exhaled sharply and turned away to eat my mouse. "You're disgusting, you know that?" I told him. "You have no manners what so ever."

Talon cawed.

"Oh shut up."

Then, I thought of something I never did before. _If I die what will happen to Talon?_ I chewed slowly as I pondered another thought, _How long can birds last without water?_

I glanced back to him in time to see him swallow his mouse. I looked away. This quest was for me, not for him. _He shouldn't have to go through what I do._ Then again...he wanted to come with me.

Talon flew onto my lap and cuddled up to me. I gazed down at him. "You know...you didn't have to come...You can go back if you want to..." I told him. He looked up at me with sad eyes.

"We might die. I have no water and you know what that means."

Talon bowed his head.

"If I die...go back to mom and dad, ok?"

Talon suddenly looked up and scolded me with a screech.

"I'm sorry for talking this way, but we need to be realistic. We both know we need water and I can only last three days without it."

Talon cooed with sadness. I hugged him. He put a wing on me.

"Talon...please promise me you'll go home when I die. Please."

The hawk nodded.

"Thank you..." I buried my face in his feathers. I felt my heart swell with love. It was painful but worth it.

At that moment I realized that after years of never having friends, I did have one, Talon. Instead of letting me go alone, he came with me. He put up with my complaints and still fed me and, now, promising to grant my death wish even though it hurt him. I wouldn't have asked for a better travel companion. I knew, when it came to matter of life and death, Talon would stick by me till the end, the mark of a true friend.


	4. Chapter 4: The Swamp

**Thank you so much for the support you have given. :3 Please feel free to tell me what you think so far. Sorry for being late on this chapter. I'll try to post the next one within a week. Thanks again, and enjoy! ^.^**

**Chapter 3: The Swamp**

The next day, we finally came to the edge of the dense forest and the verge of Si Mong desert. I looked out into the distance through squinted eyes. The pale color of the sand threaten to scorch my eyes. I could feel the heat from where I stood, it was only just bearable. I thanked Avatar Shou I wouldn't have go through the entirety of that desert. If I did, I would die before my third day.

By this time, I had a headache and was a bit dizzy. We continued on, trekking through the trees along the edge, staying close enough to see the road as it turned into and through the desert. The same road had changed drastically. It now stood out from dry desert soil. Sand blew over it as if avoiding contact with the manmade steam of tar. The road just sat there dully, a failed attempt to connect the harsh heat and barren land to civilization.

Talon flew overhead, scanned the surrounding area, and returned to my shoulder. He gurgled and cawed and cooed his unintelligible language in my ear. I didn't understand any of it but from the cues of his body language and tone, I manage to translate his noises into words.

"The swamp is ahead of us?" I looked past the trees. A faint, pungent smell reached my nostrils. I exhaled sharply and collected what I could remember from my textbooks. The foggy swamp wasn't just famous for its musky, damp smell. It was also famous for strange changes in weather and giving people visions. Apparently, Avatar Aang and his team had gone through it and each had received their own visions.

I gulped. I was feeling uneasy about entering the swamp. My thoughts whirled about in my head, _What would my vision be? Who would I see? Could I get hurt while receiving a vision?_

I decided to take a break and sat down, pulling out the map and compass. I estimated where we were and attempted to calculate the days to Omashu. I found that I couldn't concentrate. While I struggled to focus on the map, I became sleepy. I held my head as my headache heightened. Talon nudged me.

"I'm ok." I said. "I'm just tired, that's all." I figured that last night's lack of rest had made me sleepy. I put the map away and leaned up against a tree, thinking to take a nap for a few minutes before heading out again. Then I heard voices.

I held my breath and looked around. Talon stood stock-still next to me. No one was in sight. I wondered if the voices had come from the swamp. I strained my eyes to hear for them again.

_There they are!_ The voices came from ahead of me, away from the swamp. I listened more, deducing that there were two of them and both were masculine. I nodded to Talon. He quietly took off into the sky. I slowly stood up and listened again. They were further away now. I peered among the trees, looking for the sources of the voices. At first, nothing seemed amiss. Until-a man came out from behind a tree several yards away. It was a policeman!

I grew tense and cold all at once. Another came out a foot away from him.

"You don't think he came this far, do you?" one said. His voice and appearance indicated that he was young, probably between 20 and 25 years of age.

"He's a thief, anything is possible. But if he was smart, he would've stay out of that swamp." the first one said. He was older, his voice was gruff and his face had lines engraved into it. He looked about in his late 40's

"True. I think we need a ranger out here. They would be able to track him." the younger added.

"Let's head back." the older turned to walk away.

"Any news on Ryuu's daughter?"

"Nope. Apparently she never came home."

"Do you think the thief and the girl may have a link?" I felt my heart lurch.

"Naw, the girl wasn't home when the thief came to the house."

"But what if she had made herself look like a thief to run away?" I gulped.

"Alright, no more of you crazy ideas. That's the problem with you rookies, you all got wild imaginations. Let's go."

I heard them walking away. Carefully, I stepped back and grabbed my pack. The compass fell out as I lifted it. I rushed to grab it-_Snap!_ I gasped and froze.

"What was that?" the younger policeman said.

"Your imagination." the older retorted.

"No, a twig snapped."

"It's probably just an animal."

"Shouldn't we at least make sure?"

"Alright, alright."

I tensed up and grabbed the compass. I shoved it inside and pulled out the mask. All of this caused noise.

"You hear that?" the younger sounded close. I could hear the eagerness in his voice.

"Slow down, rookie. I hope you run into a dragonfly." the older murmured.

I put the mask on and pulled on my black exercise shirt. Then, I shouldered my pack and took off toward the swamp.

"I see him!" the younger one's yell penetrated the atmosphere. It was followed by thrashing of leaves and snapping of twigs. I looked back to see them crashing past trees, heading in my general direction. I looked up, Talon was above the trees.

I picked up speed, winding around trees and brush. My heart raced in my ears and panic pushed from the back of my head. Fear, cold fear, drove my legs forward.  
Around me, the environment was changing. The trees became dark with vines. The ground crowded over with huge plants and dense grasses. My steps sounded moist as I ran.

"There! Come on!" the younger yelled again.

"Stop! Are you crazy?! We're not going in there!" the older one shouted.

Gasping, I stopped and turned around. I couldn't see them but I could hear them clearly.

"We need to catch him! He's a thief!" the younger exclaimed.

"He's as good as dead in that swamp. Besides, it's out of our jurisdiction. Let's go!"

I heard them walk away, they're steps were loud and crisp, indicating that they hadn't entered the swamp at all. Talon came down and rested on my shoulder. We waited till we heard them no more.

I yanked off the mask and looked around me. We were completely surrounded by the thick, wild swamp. Bird calls of all sorts came from different directions. I heard bullfrogs in the distance and the faint humming noises proved there were bugs here as well.

I decided to keep my exercise shirt on and tucked my pant bottoms into my socks. Talon surveyed the area as best as he could and came back. His coos of uneasiness told me that he had no idea which direction was good to take. Not only that, the road was out of sight. In my moment of panic, I had ran away from it.  
I gulped. I had no choice but to trek ahead.

We wander aimlessly through the swamp. I thought about making markers but I couldn't figure out what I could use that would stand out from the environment. On several occasions, I stepped in goopy, green-brown mud. I managed to yank free, though it resulted in me getting mud all over my pants and shirt.

The several hours of walking were useless; we were hopelessly lost.

I settled near a tree away from water while Talon went hunting. He brought back two elephant rats. They were considerably larger than the mice we had previously. I wondered if Talon would be able to swallow this one.  
We ate our food, though the meat was a bit tougher than we expected. Thankfully, it was still satisfying.

By the time night had arrived, my headache had gotten worse. I leaned against a tree and held my head. Talon squawked at me.

"I'm fine." I had the false assumption of going to sleep to take the headache away.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't sleep. The noises around me at night and my headache prevented me from getting more than hour of rest. Even more so, I was worried about snakes and elbow leeches coming and killing us.

Morning came slowly. Even when it did, we couldn't see the sun; the swamp had only brightened slightly, giving only the smallest implication that it was now daytime.

The headache was gone, but in its place was a dry mouth and a rapid heartbeat. As we walked, I could barely keep my footing. I panted heavily and quickly as I walked; I tried to stay upright and balanced.

Talon cawed at me whenever I slipped or fell forward.

"I'm fine!" I grumbled at him, stumbling through the swamp endlessly.

After hours of wandering about, I heard a voice. I stopped and looked around, collapsing to one knee in an attempt to keep balanced.

"He-hello?" I asked the swamp.

The surrounding area grew strangely quiet. Talon gurgled nervously. I stood up and leaned against a tree then, I listened carefully.  
The voice came again:

"Kimura," it was male, but it didn't sound like my father, or the policemen.

"Kimura," it was assertive and strong, yet calm and soothing.

I stumbled toward it, following the sound of it.

"Kimura," it beckoned me, and I couldn't help but continue walking towards it.

"Kimura," I came to a mound and a clearing. Wrapped around it was a red dragon. It gazed at me with fearsome eyes. I fell to my knees and looked up at it. It turned to the center of the mound. I followed its eyes to its outstretched wing. It lifted it to reveal a young man.

"Kimura," the young man said. He smiled. I just stared. He didn't look familiar to me at all. His face was caring yet strong, his eyes were gold and his hair was long and black. I knew he was a firebender, but I had never met one like him before. He didn't where modern dress, he only had a cloth around his hips that went down to his thighs. Everything else was bare.

"Kimura," he turned to walk away.

"Wait!" I called out to him.

He and the dragon walked away.

"Wait! Come back!" I ran after them but fell. I looked up as I laid helpless on the ground. "Wait..." I groaned. I heard Talon caw in my ear. I reached out to the young man as he faded from my sight. I collapsed, darkness sucked me into unconsciousness.


	5. Chapter 5: The Foggy Swamp Tribe

**Sorry for being late, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 4: The Foggy Swamp Tribe**

I opened my eyes slowly. There was very little light where I was; I could barely make out my surroundings. I laid on something cool and smooth. My fingertips touched it. It felt like leaves. Above me, the ceiling was made with huge oval leaves. I gazed off to my left where a post stood. There, Talon slept with his head tucked under a wing. I looked around me and found that I laid in a hut made with the same leaves. The only light within it came from outside a covered opening off to my left.

I rolled onto my side and propped myself on my left elbow. Near me was what looked like a cup. I grabbed it; it was filled with water. I drank it down without a second thought. After not having water for so long, I had forgotten how wonderfully satisfying it was.

Gasping for air, I wiped my mouth dry on my arm. Then I stood up and walked to the opening. Talon flew off the post and rested on my shoulder. He gurgled an approval. I pulled back the leaf covering and stepped out into the open.

I gazed with wonder at my surroundings. I stood amidst a swamp village. Huts huddled close together. At the center was a place for a fire. Children ran about with catgators. The elderly sat on logs near the center, leisurely watching the children play. The men were bringing in something they caught. The women were down and working on preparing a meal.

I didnt have to time observe any further because a boy around the age of twelve came out of a hut, saw me and yelled:

"Hey, Pa! That funny looking girl is awake!"

At first, I was a bit insulted by the statement. Then I looked down. My feet were caked with mud, my black shirt was so dirty it looked gray. My pants were covered with grass and blood stains. My hair was plastered to my forehead, my clothes clung grossly to my form; my body was covered with sweat. I didn't look funny, I looked awful!

But before I could lift a finger to remove the filthy shirt, a tall, thin man came out of the hut. He looked at me with a kind of half smile.

"So, you're wake, eh?"

I just stared, surprised that by his strange accent.

"Name Slim. Found you fall over. Gave you some plant water and brought you back here. How's you feel?"

I looked around, every person in the village was staring at me.

"Um...I...I feel better." I murmured. Rubbing my left arm awkwardly. Talon ruffled his feathers.

"That good. Come, eat." he gestured to the center at the logs, he sat down and the woman there gave him a helping on a leaf. I walked over and sat down on a log near him, the woman have me a portion. Much to my surprise, the meal comprised of large pieces of insects and bird meat. Talon gurgled sharply at the realization of a cooked wing in my meal.

"Eat, eat." Slim said, eating his portion as everyone in the camp came and sat down. Children sat on the ground in front of the adults who sat on logs. The elders sat on the largest logs. I assumed it was a sign of respect. There were only a few children and elders. Most of the village was made up of adults between 20-30 years of age.  
I tried a bit of the bug. After a bit of struggling to swallow it down, I found that it wasn't that bad. In fact, after every bite I took, the more I liked it. Then again, this was the first decent meal I had had in three days. Talon obviously enjoyed it too except for the wing. I ate that part. Bird never tasted better. Talon glowered at me. I ignored him and ate on. Heck, I was hungry!

A woman sitting near me asked, "Where you going?"

I looked up at her and answered, "Omashu,"

"Omashu? That very very far from here." a young man off to my left said.

"Not you wanna stay here?" a little girl at my feet asked.

I gazed down at her. Her large green eyes pierced into my soul with the deepest conviction. I was taken aback. Honestly, I had never thought about that until now. Why not stay here? I had food and water. These people were kind enough to let me use a hut as well. They did dress funny, only leaves and small patches of fur covered their lanky bodies. For a split second, I wondered if I would have to wear that too.

I pushed the last thought away and decided to answer the girl's question.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Slim stopped her. "None o' our business. People do what they like in th'world. We no stoppin' 'em."

"It's okay," I said. "I'm sure all of you are thinking the same thing. I'll tell you."

"We's listening," a boy on the ground chimed. Everyone stopped eating to look at me.

So, I told them everything about me, about my family, my past, my lack of discipline. I told them how I learned to firebend and the purpose of my quest. I told them about the policemen and why I ran into the swamp. The only thing I left out was the vision...at least, I think it was a vision.

The whole time I spoke, everyone listened. At first it was a bit unnerving, having all those eyes staring at me. But then I realized that they weren't judging me, they were hearing what I said.

The children laughed when I got to parts with Talon. The bird had his fair share of hiding behind his wing or puffing out his chest.

The teenagers and young adults glanced at one another when I told them about my parents and why I ran away.

The adults watched my face and hands through out the whole thing where as the elderly nodded or shook their heads at certain parts.

It felt so amazing to finally get it all off my chest; to tell people who didn't expect something out of me all about me; to show them who I truly was. I had never been able to open my heart to someone, and now, I was doing exactly that to a whole group of people.

The best part about all of it was that they didn't scorn me or judge me. In fact, they did the complete opposite.

"Youse a brave g'rl." one man said.

"Can't stop ya now." a young woman added.

"We know when people have th' spirit to be somethin' in the world." Slim said. "Youse got 'xactly that."

"Stay the night here, Kimura. Slim will take ya to th' road in the mornin'" a female elder rattled.

I nodded. "Thank you." and we all finished eating.

I spent the rest of the day with this tribe. I soon discovered that they were waterbenders who lived in the Foggy Swamp. They were truly extraordinary. By bending the water in plants, they were able to move the plants entirely. They traveled on boats, bending the water when they needed to go faster.

They even let me participate in their everyday duties. I went on a hunting trip and helped catch a huge dragonfly for dinner. I learned how to set a trap and accidentally got caught in one, much to Talon's amusement. We went for a boat ride and I fell out off the boat during a turn. They came back and pulled me out, only to find elbow leeches on my...well...elbows, where else? Thankfully, the hunters removed them.

After all the day's work, we went home and feasted on dragonfly. It was absolutely delicious. I promised myself that if I ever went back to my parents to make them try it.

By the end of the day, my clothes were not only "clean" I was well fed and well worked. As I hung my damp clothes on a post, someone entered my hut. I turned to find the little girl who had asked me to stay. Now that I saw her again, I realized that she was only about five years old.

"You leave tomorrow?" she gazed at me with her curious green eyes.

"Yes," I nodded.

"Take me with you." she reached up to me. I was so surprised, I didn't know what to say. What does a person tell a child when they want to come with you? At first it was cute and flattering. But I knew I could not take her with me, it was out the question.  
I knelt down in front of her and held her tiny hands in mine. My eyes locked onto hers.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

"Leaf."

In the most apologetic tone, I told her the truth. "Well, Leaf, I can't take you with me."

Her eyes welled up with tears. "Why? Not you like us?"

I felt my heart lurch. "I like you, all of you, very much. But I have to go out there to the world. I have to find my home."

"Take me home too." she said, tears streamed down her face.

I bit my lip and wiped away her tears. "I can't Leaf. This is your home. This is where you belong."

"No, I want to go you, I want to be fiwebendew too." she resisted.

"Leaf..." I sighed and sat down. I pulled her onto my lap, her back facing me so she didn't have to see my face if I started to cry. By now, my heart was aching terribly.

"Leaf, you are Leaf." I held her hands up so she could see her palms. I put my hands next to hers and said, "I am Kimura. Look how different we are. But we are the same. We both need a home. You have your home here, with your mommy and daddy."

"But I want be you."

I blinked back tears, unable to comprehend why she wanted to be like me and why I couldn't just tell her no.

"Leaf...You need to stay here. Maybe when you're big and strong, you can leave like I left."

"But what 'bout you?"

"I need to go tomorrow, but i promise, I will come back to see you."

She turned to me and cupped my cheeks in her small hands. Her huge eyes gazed at me with naive curiosity and fiery spirit. "Promise?" she demanded.

"I _promise_." I said, tapping her nose with one of mg fingers. She giggled then hugged me.

I froze. Never in all my life had I been hugged. My parents had been to concerned with their own little worlds, they never showed me affection. I didn't know how to react to the sudden hug, in fact it was bit awkward since I wasn't even used to being touched unless someone was trying to hurt me.

In a single moment of time, I experienced more affection right there than I ever had in my entire life, from a child I hardly knew.

Tears escaped my watch and they fell from my eyes. I hugged Leaf back with an aching heart. Words can not describe that feeling of pain from a heart full of love. All I knew was that I hoped I would experience it again.


	6. Chapter 6: The Desert

Chapter 5: The Desert

I must say the sleep I had that night was the best I had had since my quest started. I was sure Talon agreed, since he was still asleep on his post when I woke up. I yawned loudly and stretched. Rather, I made the attempt to stretch; my muscles cried out in protest. I groaned after making the painful discovery that my body was sore.

Massaging my arms and abdomen I realized that I had done more walking and more activity my body had ever done back at home.

Well, the good thing is, all this soreness means more muscle. At least I'll be stronger by the time my quest is over.

I checked my clothes, and after finding them to be dry, I packed them away.

I heard the swamp villagers bustling outside, busy with their everyday duties. A part of me wanted to stay. Their life was simple, and yet was worthwhile. It seemed that they knew more about living than people like my father. And it wasn't just the knowing part, it was the fact that _lived _their lives. They enjoyed every moment, for the smallest things, like boat riding, the strangest things, like finding a firebender, to the bigger things, like a baby being born.

I paused in my packing, Talon rustled on his post. I turned to him, he tilted his head, his whiskers swayed.

"Talon, once we find our new home, I want to _live _my life, not just know _how_ to live it." I told him. He gurgled softly then went to cleaning his feathers.

I tucked my hands in my pockets. Something rustled in my right pocket; I pulled out the letter I had wrote to my parents. I opened and read it. It reminded me of the purpose of my quest and I decided not to waver.

I finished packing the clothes that I had already worn and glanced down at my feet. The elastic of my socks had completely wore out. I could almost see right through them since the material had been soiled and torn. I sat down and started removing them, nearly gagging from their stench. Talon gurgled with amusement.

"Geez, do I need a bath!" I told myself. From my memories of reading adventure books, I couldn't remember a single passage about having stinky feet.

Their feet probably stunk REALLY bad.

I put the socks in a pile and put my shoes back on. The points on the end had gotten smashed. Though they were technically dark red and black, they were now only muted tones of these colors.

"Aaaand new shoes." Talon laughed in his birdlike way. His whiskers swung back and forth like pendulums.

"Oh, shut up." There was a knock at the door. Rather, at the wall of the hut, which didn't sound like a knock; more like a rustle.

"Come in."

An elder, a woman, came inside with the Slim's son. The boy carried a water skin.

"This fo' you." the elder said, urging the boy forward.

He gave me the skin, showing me how to tie it around my waist like a belt so it wouldn't slip.

"Thank you."

"Enough water to make it to Omashu." the boy said.

"Use wisely. Youse ready to go?" the elder asked.

I scooped up my useless socks and Talon flew to my shoulder. "Just about." I smiled, they smiled back.

"Let'sa get going." the elder and boy lead me out. We came to the center of the village where Slim stood, waiting to guide me out of the swamp.

I tossed my socks in the fire, which popped a noisy thank you.

"Ready?" Slim asked me.

"Yes." I answered.

"Wait!" Leaf's familiar voice came from behind me. I turned around to find the small girl running to me. I sighed and knelt down to meet her. She hugged me the moment she was close enough. I hugged her back.

"Please, come back me." she said in my ear. I pulled away and gazed into her eyes. They threatened to keep me there. I looked away and reached behind Talon. Plucking one of the feathers off his tail, I gave it to her. Talon screeched a protest and glared at me. I ignored him and told Leaf:

"This is for my promise."

Her eyes lit up like fireworks. She gasped with awe and held the dark red feather as if it was gold. She looked up at me with a huge smile on her face. We hugged again, but I could not bring myself up to saying goodbye. And she didn't say it either. The actions were enough to mean it.

I thanked the elders, the children, the adults. I bade them farewell and gazed one last time at the village that had been my temporary home.

"Ready?" I heard Slim ask me.

"Yes." I replied.

I turned and followed him out of the village.

We entered the swamp and heading toward the desert. With Slim as my guide, I did not worry about getting lost. Talon stayed perched on me, shifting from my shoulders and head when necessary. Sometimes I had to climb up or down, in those cases he was on my shoulders. When we were walking or ducking under trees, he was on my shoulder.

I was amazed by how surefooted Slim was. While I slipped and slid occasionally, he nimbly made his way through the swamp with ease.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the atmosphere. I nearly leapt out of my skin. I turned to find a round white bird perched on a branch some feet away from us with its beak wide open.

"I's okay. Come on." Slim said dully. I continued to follow him, making sure not to lose sight of the man as he trekked ahead of me.

"How far are we from the desert?" I asked him sometime later. Then I felt rather silly soon after. _I would ask such a stupid question. He doesn't have a map, how can he tell?_

"Not far." he answered.

"How do you know?" I asked, stumbling in the mud. He helped me out of it. "Do you need a map? I have one."

"Map? What's that?" he looked down at me with a confused yet skeptical glare.

"It shows which way to go."

He shook his head, his little hat swayed. "Nope, I knows 'xactly where go to." he turned around and kept walking. I scrambled after him.

"But how?!" I exclaimed.

The tall, thin man kept going and didn't turn as he said, "Dunno, jus' do."

"You never get lost?"

"Nope, I knows where am I all th' time."

"But how?"

"I dunno." He suddenly stopped. My face smashed into his back. I slipped and fell back on my bottom. He turned around, studied the air behind him then looked down. His eyebrows furrowed with bewilderment as if he had no idea how that I crashed into him.

"Youse okay?" be helped me to my feet. I nodded, dusting myself off. He gestured behind me. "We's here."

I looked beyond me. I couldn't see anything oast the vines and trees. "We are?"

He pulled vines out of the way. The opening served as a window, the scene within it was the road in the distance, surrounded by desert and partially covered by sand.

"Oh."

"Follow road to Omashu." he said.

"I will, thank you very much for your help."

"Of course," he smiled. "Come back and visit us."

"I will."

He walked back the way we came from.

"Bye!" I called to him.

He nodded and gave a kind of wave then disappeared into the swamp.

I turned back toward the desert. Talon gurgled. We exchanged glances. "Ready?" Talon bobbed his head, his whiskers swayed. I took in a deep breathe and exhaled.

"Here goes nothing." _Here goes everything._

I stepped out of the swamp and into the desert.

For hours we followed the road. The sun beamed down on us with intense rays of heat. I drank from the water skin every now and then. Although I was hot, I was afraid I'd run out of water so I never took more than a gulp in a single drink.

The road made the heat even worse so I ended up walking alongside the road instead of on it.

After what seemed like forever, evening finally came. I nestled into a dune that was a small distance from the road. It was larger than most of them and gave me a fair view of the southern desert.

I laid down in the cooling sand and gazed up at the moon and stars. While Talon searched for food, I stared at the stars and dreamed for bit.

Most people would find me strange for being so captivated by the moon. As a firebender the source of my bending came from the sun. In the daytime I had the advantage over a waterbender. At night, I was still able to bend but my flames lacked the strength they had during the day.

Unlike most firebenders who prefer day over night, I prefered the opposite. I loved the blanketing darkness of the night. I loved the cold light from the moon. Even more so, I loved the dreamy glittering stars that beckoned me into a world of wonder. I suppose that if I could choose which country to born in, I would have chosen one of the water tribes.

I still couldn't understand why I was like this. I was always curious, always wondering, always dreaming.

By now, Talon returned with little reptiles dangling from his claws. A week ago, I probably would have cringed at the sight. But after eating mice, elephant rats and dragonfly, reptile was just another meal. I roasted it then peeled off the scaly skin, which was easier to do and dug in. To be honest, it tasted a bit like turtle duck Although it lacked tenderness in the meat, it was thoroughly satisfying.

We rested a few hours and then trekked on through the sand. We kept close to the road, hiding whenever a car came and passed. In the heat, I didn't have much of an appetite, thankfully, since food was scarce.

Only a few sips of water passed my lips and only a few licks moistened Talon's tongue. I thanked Avatar Shou that I was only one on this journey, and that Talon did not need a lot of water.

After what seemed like forever, the sun finally set. The temperature lowered to a bearable state. I settled down to watch the sun dip under the horizon, taking in the beautiful colors that filled the sky. The sand glowed like fire with the last rays of sunlight. All was peaceful in the so-called harsh desert. And for once, it seemed to me that nothing could possibly go wrong.


	7. Chapter 7: A Ray of Hope

Chapter 6: A Ray of Hope

Two days later, Talon and I found ourselves still following the road toward Omashu. In the endless, sandy landscape, it was impossible to tell how far we'd gone, and how far we had to go, even the map proved to be futile.

Surprisingly, the water skin I carried seemed to be the same size as when we began. I began to wonder if the swamp tribe had used some power to keep the reproducing water.

I shook the silly idea out of my head and continued walking along the peak of the huge dune that ran alongside the road. Talon gurgled in my ear and shifted uneasily on my shoulder. I ignored him at first because when I gazed down the road, there were no cars in sight. But that bird persisted.

"What's up?" I paused to turn to him. Then I saw it.

A huge sandstorm was heading straight for us.

"Oh no." I gasped.

My natural impulse was to find cover but I knew there was none for miles around. My only hope for survival was to hide behind the dune I currently stood on. In a moment of desperation, I spun around and slid down the side toward the road. Sand sprayed all over me and blinded me. Talon cawed with shock and flew off my shoulder. I coughed and attempted to cover my face. My feet dug into the sand and I fell forward. I was sent somersaulting the rest of the way down. A moment later, my back hit the blacktop of the road. Pain surged through my body, I groaned and rolled onto my side. Scraps covered my arms.

_Crap...I'll never wear a tanktop again..._ I promised myself. Talon screeched at me. A hideous howl of wind built up in my ears, reminding me of the nearing danger. My body ached in protest as I stumbled to my feet. I ran to the sand dune and put my back up against its side. The howl turned into a roar, I covered my face with my pack and covered Talon with my body. The hawk shielded his face with his wings. My heart racedwith fear as the sandstorm started to blow over us. Then, suddenly, it stopped.

Panting, I slowly raised my head. The road empty, the sky clear. I gazed to my right and nearly leapt out of my skin. A group of men stood on top of the dune on the other side of the road. Beside them were sail crafts which I deduced was their mode of transportation. The men themselves were covered head-to-toe in brown and tan clothing. Goggles and gloves were the only acessories they wore with their bland outfits.

_Oh, crap..._ I had read about the desert poeple in my 9th year. According to the textbook, they were barders and traders of rhinocero beetes and other exotic animals. They even stole Avatar Aang's sky bison to make money. Upon that notion, I feared more for Talon than I did for myself. The men bent the sand and slid down gracefully to the road. They did not step on it, rather, they stood near it. I knew that I was at a disadvantage if I remained on the sand so I stood up and positioned myself on the blacktop. I placed Talon on my shoulder, the hawk puffed out his chest and held his head high. Meanwhile, the sandbenders began to surround me.

There were seven total, most of them were thin and tall. The only one that seemed to have some build was the one who now stood a few feet away at my northeast. He was the only one who now removed his goggles and the cloth over his mouth. His green eyes pierced mine and a smirk pulled up one of the corners of his mouth. I was surprised by his appearance; he was young, at least my age if not a year older.

"Looks like we got us an old fashioned hitch hiker, boys." He said with an accent as arid as the desert.

All the sandbenders laughed. Judging from the sound of them, all of these guys really were boys. Although they were tall, their voices told that they were the same age as their leader.

"You're pretty brave to be wandering the desert all by you lonesome." he sneered.

I gulped. I didn't like the look in his eyes. His voice raised the hairs on my back.

"Especially since your a _girl_." the young man added coldly. Although I was sweating up a storm in the heat, I shivered.

"Going anywhere special? Or is this your idea of suicide?" He asked.

Shifting sand behind me sent my head craning back in a hurry. The boys started to walk around me. My body grew tense.

"I asked you a question," he barked. I flashed my gold eyes back at him. "Where are you going?"

"That's none of your business." I said, trying hard to hide the fear in my voice which was making a knot in my stomach.

He chuckled, which would have made him attactive had he not blew sand in my face in the next second. Talon screeched a retaliation. I coughed and wiped the grains out of my eyes and nose. The knot in my gut tightened.

"They make 'em harder and harder to crack." I heard him murmer. Though my sight was blurry and my eyes irritated, I looked up at him. He looked agitated. "Where are you going? Why are you on our territory? Huh?"

The boys formed a tighter circle around me.

_You've got to be kidding._I thought. _How the heck was I supposed to know this is their land?!_

"Look, it's my business to know where I'm going and I will tell you that I had no idea this was your land. That's the honest truth."

He recollected his emotions; his face relaxed slightly. "Listen, you. You're in our territory, we make the rules here. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Tell us the truth and we'll let you go."

"That is the truth." I answered with exasperation. Murmurs passed among the group as they continued to circle me like buzzard wasps.

Anger flickered in his eyes for a moment. My heart rushed to throat when I heard his next statement:

"Get her."

Sand swirled around me. Three of the sandbenders did this while the other three blasted sand in my face.

"Ah!"

Talon shrieked and zoomed off my shoulder. I struggled to stand as the sand picked up speed and enveloped me. In a matter of seconds, a wall of swirling sand surrounded me. Hopelessness started to sink in as fear took over. Then...

Above me, in a sky I could not see, I heard Talon's battle cry. I gasped and coughed, "Talon!'

I heard the leader yell in agony then rage, "Gah! You stupid bird!". Talon's quick squawk of pain soon followed and then a thud in the sand told me that he was down.

_No! _I growled under my breath. The wind didn't let up, but now my anger was rising. I covered my mouth with my shirt and yelled at the top of my lungs:

"You coward! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?! Why don't you fight me instead?!"

The wind suddenly ceased, I fell to my knees on the blacktop. Drinking in gulps of arid air, I looked up at the leader. Anger as hot as mine flamed in his eyes.

"What did you say?" He said dangerously.

"You heard me," I answered with a raspy voice. The fear was gone, only indignation filled my being.

The leader's jaw tightened. Through clenched teeth he growled. "Prepare to lose."

A blast of sand threw me in the air and sent me sailing into the sand dune behind me. I attempted to regain my footing as sand poured over my head. The ground beneath me shifted and pulled me down. I looked up to see the leader's arms making strong, fluid gestures; he was controlling the sand under me. Before I could do anything else, something solid hit me from below and propelled me onto the road. I landed on my back, pain shot through my entire body. The hot blacktop scorched my skin and clothes. I groaned in anguish. My muscles ached and burned at the same time. This young man proved to bemy hardest opponent yet. _Next time, I'll keep my mouth shut. _I promised myself.

"I'll make this quick." His voice entered my ears. Gasping, I threw my eyes open and looked up. He stood over me and was about to knock me with solidified sand. I rolled to my right and shot up a leg, bending flames from my chi. He cried out as he yanked his hands away and stumbled backward. My blaze kick missed him by a hair.

I quickly rolled away and jumped to my feet. He was panting, recovering from his state of shock. After a moment, he grinned.

"Well, well...a firebender. This just got interesting. Let's see how good you are." He rose his arms and took a stomp forward. Sand rose around him and shot toward me.

I breathed in deep and remembered all the songs I practiced with in my head. Relaxed, my body and chi worked together and I reacted in the nick of time; I dodged the blow and threw up a hand, palm out, flames rushed toward him. He sidestepped and pulled in his arms. Sand smothered the fire. He pivoted on his right foot and forcepalmed another blast of sand toward me. I ducked and spun around as music played my head. Flowing with a song only I could hear, I formed flames around me and rose my arms out to my sides. Stopping my spin, I bent the crimson flames and sent them across the space between us.

He moved his arms up in front of him; sand rose up into a wave. The flames extinguished once it made contact with it. Then, he sent the wave surfing toward me. I scooped up flames in my palms and using a dance step, grounded my feet perpendicular to the wave and dove my hands and the fire forward. Quickly, I bowed my head and braced my body for the hit. My fire sliced right through the coursing sand, the wave collapsed on either side of me.

The song ended in my head. Fatigue took over, I panted heavily, breathing in dry air that only made my lungs burn even more. Meanwhile, my opponent grinned.

"I must admit, you're pretty good." he said, loosening his arms. "But you lack endurance, something sandbenders build from living in a desert. You've paid a heavy price by challenging me in my element. This fight will soon be over."

His arrogance started up my temper; "As long as the sun is out, I have as much advantage as you do!" I yelled at him.

"We'll see about that." he exclaimed, bending sand upward and at me. The blow hit me hard; my body crashed to the ground. A scream tore from my mouth as the blacktop scrapped the skin off my arm. I held my arm close to my chest, waiting for the sand to blow over, but it remained. It enveloped me once again, sucking the air out of the atmosphere around me. It was so strong; everytime I attempted to stand, it forced me down again. The howl was so loud, I couldn't hear myself think. I couldn't hear the music in my head.

Panic rose in me as I coughed for air. On my knees, I did my best to bring out flames, but there was not enough air to nurture them; they went out the moment I produced them. Panic set in. I scrambled for ideas but the howl was now unbearable. Pain, panic, hopelessness was all I felt. I curled up into ball, trying to keep my face from being seared off by the coursing sand.

_The sun... _The idea flickered in my mind.

_The sun... _It was my only hope.

I raised my head and looked through my fingers to find the sun. At first, I couldn't see it; the sand was so thick. But then...

A small ray of light seeped through; my ray of hope.

Fighting the sandstorm that surrounded me, I slowly rose to my feet. When that was accomplished, I locked in my position. Finally, I reached out to the sun and closed my eyes. The sunlight awakened my fire, I raised one leg and brought my hands in front of my chest. Through the howl a new song came to my head, the sound of victory. With one quick, strong motion, I stepped down and punched toward where my opponent stood. A fireball penetrated through the wall and...

"AH!" _Thud!_


End file.
